Book Review: "Faster: Demystifying the Science of Triathlon Speed" by Jim Gourley

Triathletes are an interesting bunch. We are, as a group, very Type-A and willing to do crazy things to better ourselves in order to get a bit faster. It could be a "new" training method, a new gadget, or even some crazy-looking piece of clothing. We not only are willing to look a little different in the name of speed, but are willing to spend crazy amounts of dollars to save a few minutes or even seconds. Heck, a true gear junkie (and you know who you are) can very quickly spend the equivalent of a nice car just at the bike shop. Throw in the latest wetsuit technology, a pair of $175 running shoes, anything and everything Garmin puts out ... you get the point.

This is where Jim Gourley steps in. In the book, Faster: Demystifying the Science of Triathlon Speed, Gourley uses his scientific background (he is literally a rocket scientist) and knowledge of physics, to explore the science of speed. As a triathlete himself, Gourley "get's it," and uses each of six chapters to help those of us who are not as scientifically inclined to understand the inner workings of all things triathlon.

Chapter one is a short and understandable look at the physics behind the chapters that follow. Gourley essentially lays out the base science that permeates the rest of the book. It may not be the most exciting thing you have ever read, but if becoming a faster triathlete is one of your goals, it is important information to read and understand.

From there the book has a chapter on the swim, two on the bike, one dedicated to all things running, and a look at the science behind racing. If you are that Type-A person I referred to at the beginning of this review, all of the information presented is useful. I found something in each chapter that I either never considered or considered but quickly moved on from for whatever (probably lame) reason. Here, I want to point you to two areas that I found to be the most useful - the bike you ride and the way we race.

In my day job and in real life I am what is known as a value buyer. I have been dedicated to this sport since 2004 and I'm sure I could justify spending $7k, $8k, or even $10k+ on a new ride, just like many a triathlete I see at races every year.* Funny thing is, you can find some of these bikes in slightly used condition for sale every year on Craigslist and eBay at the end of the racing season for much, much less than full retail, but that's another story. Anyway, from the very beginning, I have always by nature sought to buy as much bike as necessary without paying up for that last bit of awesomeness.

While I would love to this as my ride, there is no reason other than the cool factor to pay up for it. Source

Chapter 4 of Gourley's book presents the scientific argument for my thriftiness. He makes two arguments - there is no such thing as a "fast bike," and anything that doesn't give you a 10 watt advantage isn't worth paying for. If you think this is rubbish, I suggest you go and read Gourley in his own words on bike weight here, unless you are a gear junkie and you aren't ready to break that habit just yet. Truth be told, the best way to become a better/faster cyclist is ride your bike. A lot. And if you feel the need to push a few less pounds up that big climb, instead of paying up for top end components or whatever ... drop a few pounds of body weight. Ironically, riding your bike more will take care of both fitness and shedding extra weight you might be holding.

Once you get your swim, bike and run straightened out you still need to race a smart race. The final chapter dives into how to properly pace for any distance from a sprint to a full Ironman distance race. This might not come as much of a surprise, but this entire chapter can be summed up in one word - pacing.

Now, before you say "duh, I don't need a book to tell me THAT," here me out. The analysis goes beyond just "ride hard," "hold back early in the run," or "don't race like an idiot." Instead, Gourley gives some very specific advice for each standard race distance. This information alone is worth the price of the book.

There are a few books that all multisport athletes should have on their bookshelf. Faster: Demystifying the Science of Triathlon Speed is one of those books. Faster is not the book you buy if you are only purchasing one book (Joe Friel's The Triathlete's Training Bible or Going Long would be that book), but instead a work that compliments the work of others with science-based discussions on the swim, the bike, the run, and swim/bike/run.

Disclaimer: I purchased my copy of Faster: Demystifying the Science of Triathlon Speed on my own.

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

"Faster: Demystifying the Science of Triathlon Speed" is available at Amazon.com

* For full disclosure, I did purchase a rather high-end new ride this year - the Quintana Roo Illicito (specs) - at a very, very reasonable price from TriSports.com. After looking around for 2+ years I finally found a high-end bike at what I would have paid for much less of a bike at full retail.